► Jaecoo’s first EV driven in the UK
► Premium kit list for £30,505
► But it needs more polish
Jaecoo can’t be accused of coasting. The Chinese brand may have only launched at the start of 2025, but that hasn’t stopped the Jaecoo 7 from entering the bestselling car list for August and September 2025, and Jaecoo launching a second car; the Jaecoo E5.
The central selling points to the Jaecoo E5 is the focus on bang for your buck. Where else can you find a Hyundai Kona-sized electric vehicle (EV) with heated and ventilated front seats, a panoramic roof, ambient lighting, and an eight-speaker Sony speaker system for a shade over £30,000?
If that wasn’t enough, there’s a scalpel-sharp focus on pet owners with the E5. There’s a pet mode that used homothermal air conditioning to keep the cabin at a safe, constant temperature. Top trim examples boast scratch-resistant and antibacterial upholstery and there’s a rich catalogue of pet accessories available from Jaecoo. That might sound a little odd, but with 51% of the UK owning a pet, these features will appeal.
I’ve driven the Jaecoo E5 in Luxury trim across a selection of roads in the UK and had a good poke around the interior of a Pure model too. Find out how we test cars to see why you can trust us here.
Should you buy a Jaecoo E5? I certainly see the allure if your primary desire from a car is lots of premium features for not a lot of money. However, I’d look to other electric SUVs for a more complete overall package.
At a glance:
Pros: Very well equipped, big and practical boot, good value for money
Cons: Touchscreen reliance is annoying, rear legroom isn’t great, not that good to drive
What’s new?
This is Jaecoo’s second model and first EV. It’s smaller than the 7 but shares a lot of the styling cues with its larger stablemate. The ‘waterfall grille’ that adorns the front of the 7 is gone in the name of increased aerodynamic efficiency and it’s a larger small SUV, more in line with the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq than the likes of the Smart #1 and Volvo EX30 it’s priced against.
As well as the aforementioned pet mode, the Jaecoo E5 also offers a camping mode. Speakers nestled in the front bumper turn the car into an immobile karaoke machine when stationary, and there’s vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability.
There’s a petrol-powered example called the Jaecoo 5 that we’ve reviewed separately. Not to spoil things, but the electric model is a lot better.
What are the specs?
There’s just the one battery pack available for the Jaecoo E5, a 61.1 kWh unit that’s good for an official WLTP driving range of 248 miles. That’s slightly shorter than a Renault 4 E-Tech, but longer than the 234 miles a base-spec Skoda Elroq can manage.
Performance is average for this class, the E5 hits 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds and has a top speed of 108mph.
The battery takes roughly 10 hours for a 7kW wallbox and eight hours for a stronger 11kW unit. Jaecoo quotes a 30 to 80% charge on an 80kW DC charger of 27 minutes.
Then there’s the price, the Jaecoo E5 starts at £27,505 and tops out at £30,505, a lot of car for the money.
How does it drive?
It’s a far nicer experience than the petrol-powered Jaecoo 5, but the E5 still lacks that final degree of polish that afflicts many Chinese EVs. The first problem is that it’s overwhelmed by a sudden burst of acceleration. It’d spin up a tyre and even torque steer when I planted the power.
The steering is at least decently weighted; it has a much nicer weight than the petrol-powered Jaecoo 5 and creates a much more secure driving experience. The ride is also far nicer than the Jaecoo 5 at low speeds, nicely smoothing out potholes and other imperfections. It gets a little jittery at higher speeds, but it’s far from uncomfortable.
There was a fair amount of wind noise and tyre roar on my drive, odd considering the front of the cabin is double glazed.
There’s three levels of brake regen, with the highest setting allowing for one-pedal driving. On pretty much every car on sale, brake regen is controlled via paddles or at worst, a button, But not with Jaecoo. Instead, the controls are buried in the infotainment system, meaning cycling through the settings is irritating to the point I gave up after trialling them all and left it in its lowest setting. Brake feel is at least fine.
What’s it like inside?
It’s business as usual for Jaecoo here; the interior of the E5 is minimalist, dominated by a massive touchscreen and a solid quality. There are a few cheap plastics lower down in the cabin, but everything in eyeline looks and feels plush.
The 13.2” infotainment display is designed to mimic a waterfall, explaining the steep rake. In practice, the angle combined with the sheer size results in craned necks and diverted eyes while driving. It is at least sleek, boasts wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, as it’s quick – which partially makes up for the distinct lack of buttons for the heating and air con.
Space up front is excellent, with loads of lounging room. Rear space isn’t quite as generous as I was expecting from a car of this size, but the seats are comfortable and there’s no noticeable knock to the quality in the rear.
The boot offers an impressive 480-litres of boot space, jumping up to 1,170 litres with the rear seats folded nearly flat. Jaecoo proudly claims there are 35+ storage nooks dotted around the cabin, and I think I found them all. All in, the practicality can’t be faulted.
Before you buy
There are two trim levels to pick between – Pure and Luxury. Luxury trim costs an extra £3,000 and adds all the headline-grabbing premium touches.
All models come with a generous seven-year/100,000-mile warranty, with no mileage cap for the first three years.
The small electric SUV market is a heartland of strong offerings the E5 must compete against. The Renault 4 E-Tech undercuts the Jaecoo on price and has a slightly longer driving range, but sports far fewer features. The generous proportions of the E5 also means it’s batting off the excellent likes of the Skoda Elroq and Kia EV3, offering outstanding value for money at the expense of overall polish.
Verdict
There are better small electric EVs around than the Jaecoo E5. They offer better refinement, longer ranges and even undercut the car on price, but none can offer the sheer list of premium features for the price. It’s a magpie approach to selling a car, but I can see it working, especially as the rest of the car is competent.
I was impressed with the large and useful boot, space up front and fit and finish of the E5. The driving experience and reliance on touchscreens jarred me most, a common shortfall for a lot of Chinese offerings.